Starlight
by harbinger179
Summary: Persona 3 AU: Akihiko is in his third year of college, unhappy with the direction his life is heading. One day he comes across Minako Arisato, the girl who dropped a confession letter in his shoe locker a few days before high school graduation, and he can't help but think it's fate. Akihito/FeMC, Akihito/Mitsuru, FeMC/Shinjiro. Rated M for occasional smut & language.
1. Loser

**_Author's Note:_** _  
AU, some poorly written smut thrown in there every now and again.  
Akihiko is in his third year of college, he and Mitsuru have been dating for 4 months.  
FeMC goes by the name of Minako Arisato  
A few different pairings will be thrown around:  
Akihiko/Mitsuru, Akihiko/FeMC, FeMC/Shinjiro  
_ **But this is ultimately an Aki/FeMC fic.**

 ** _Disclaimer:  
_** _I don't own Persona or any of its characters._

* * *

 _Chapter One: Loser._

 **Evening – October 12 (FRI)**

By the time Akihiko left the gym that night the moon was high and the wind cut through his clothes like a knife. It might not have been so bad if he wasn't still drenched in sweat. He couldn't help but think it was too cold for October… Then again, Akihiko couldn't remember the last time he was out this late at night. High school, maybe?

He dismissed himself with a sigh, it's not like it really mattered anyway. All he could bring himself to think about was the loss he'd suffered just a few hours ago. He had only been knocked out for a few seconds, but it was enough for the ref to declare his defeat. A defeat so pathetic that he made himself stay at the gym for an extra 2 hours, beating the sandbag until he couldn't feel his fingers anymore.

Fighting a shiver, Akihiko shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and began his trek across campus to the junior dorms. Mitsuru undoubtedly would have left him several messages since this morning despite the fact that she knew Aki never brought his cell phone to the gym with him. It was too distracting and apparently he needed all the concentration he could get nowadays.

Aki pursed his lips—ignoring the faint taste of blood as he did so—and debated whether or not he'd return Mitsuru's calls… He knew she'd ask about the match. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it. Rather… He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it with her.

Akihiko picked up the pace as another gust of wind blew through him and grimaced at the pain he felt through his rib cage and face. He hadn't looked in the mirror yet, in fact he'd made a point not to, but he was certain that the evidence of his defeat tonight was anything but pretty. He felt swollen already, particularly around his left eye. He couldn't open it all the way and it stung each time he blinked. The icy air was only serving to irritate it more. Aki pushed himself forward with yet another sigh and forced himself to stop tonguing the swollen cut on the inside of his cheek when he started to taste the blood again.

It wasn't as if he'd never taken a beating before. It wasn't like he'd never lost a match… But recently that's all he was doing. _Losing_. Over and over again. And he hadn't realized until now just how much of a sore loser he actually was.

Akihiko glanced at his familiar surroundings as he walked through the deserted quad and passed by the darkened windows of the library; most of the greenery was dead, the trees were stripped bare of their leaves, the campus looked nothing like it did during the entrance ceremony two years ago. But it was still beautiful in its own way. Almost every place on campus held one memory or another, and most of them were pleasant up until this past April, when he'd started his junior year…

He walked silently down the sidewalk, ahead of him was the entrance to the dormitories… which just reminded him of Mitsuru. He'd pass by her room when he walked up the four flights of stairs to get to his own. For a second he wondered if he should knock on her door when he got there…

But he dismissed the thought. He was hardly in the mood for company after all, and he was sure he'd just be a downer. Lately his redheaded girlfriend had been really pushy when it came to school. She was the only reason he'd even enrolled this year. He knew he couldn't really hold it against her though, she was obviously worried about his education. There weren't many juniors who still hadn't settled on a major.

In the back of his mind though, Aki knew he resented her a little bit for pushing him into it even if it had ultimately been his decision. It was stupid and selfish and unbelievably juvenile to hold it against her, but it still lurked in the depths of his thoughts anyway. He knew he was just trying to shift the blame away from himself, he'd been too much of a coward to drop everything and do what he really wanted… To do the only thing that seemed to make him really feel alive. He wanted to ignore all his classes and responsibilities and just box—to feel the thrill of improvement from training each and every day, to push his limits and those of his opponents, to taste the sweet adrenaline when he stepped into the ring… Just the thought of it all made the corners of Akihiko's mouth twitch into a grin.

He winced as the pain shot through him again and ran his tongue over his lip, feeling the split in the center. It tasted like iron. Like wasted time.

Lately he hardly had time to train at all between matches, the sandbag in his room was collecting dust. Between classes and homework, Mitsuru and his part-time job, he felt like he was drowning, like he was collapsing in on himself.

Akihiko glanced back at the full moon and readjusted the gym bag on his shoulder before opening the door and entering the lounge to the junior dorms.

He didn't even glance at the stairwell, his usual route, before stepping into an unoccupied elevator and pressing "4".

* * *

 **Early Morning – October 13 (SAT)**

Akihiko woke up before the sun to the sound of his phone going off on his nightstand. He glared at it for a moment before picking it up and answering it.

"Hello?" He asked, grogginess evident in his voice.

A familiar voice—and usually one of bad news—greeted him. He got the feeling he wasn't going to be enjoying his day off. "Aki? Hey, it's me. I need you to cover my shift at the café today."

"Shinji, I don't know… I was going to go to the gym today and—" Akihiko rolled over and groaned as the pain from his match woke him with a jolt. There was no way he could train in this condition. "Ugh… yeah, alright then. What time?"

He heard Shinjiro chuckled on the other end, "At seven. I guess there's some new girl starting today or something. I'm no good at training, you know? Seems like a real pain. Anyway, I owe you one, Aki. Talk to you later."

Akihiko suddenly regretted getting Shinji a job at all as he hung up his phone and flung his head back into his pillow. _New girl, huh_? He shook his head, hadn't he just been complaining the night before that he hardly ever found time to himself? _Looks like I bring it upon myself._ He thought with a grumble, pushing himself from his mattress onto the wooden floor. As he stretched he realized just how sore he was, his muscles ached more than they had in months, his face hurt—

"Oh, shit." He half yelled, remembering the haymaker that had put him on his ass the night before. He ran to the mirror and frowned at his reflection. "I forgot…" Aki mumbled. He'd promised Shinji he'd take his shift but… He wondered if his manager would even let him work looking like this.

His left eye was pretty swollen, although thankfully it felt much worse than it looked. His lip was split open almost directly in the middle and he could feel the bruise on his chin from the uppercut that had made him spit his mouth guard across the ring. There were a couple yellowish, green bruises splotched along his left temple and jaw line, but honestly he'd looked worse after some of his fights in high school.

Akihiko chuckled as he remembered a particularly brutal fight from his boxing club back at Gekkoukan High, if he would have won it would have been his 30th consecutive victory, he would have made school history. It was just a few weeks before graduation, his last formal match as a high schooler… all his friends had come to cheer him on, he'd been a little embarrassed that they'd turned it into such a spectacle…

He shook his head and grinned at the memory. The fight itself was a bit fuzzy in his mind but he remembered waking up in the infirmary…

 _Akihiko blinked a few times, the orange glow of the setting sun was shining through the glass and a soft breeze blew through an open window, cooling the wet cloth on his forehead._

 _For a second he couldn't remember why he was there but as he regained consciousness, pieces started flooding back. He laughed quietly and couldn't help but smile despite the loss. It had been a good fight. He tilted his head toward the window where auburn hair blew softly in the breeze._

 _"Senpai!" She exhaled in relief, smoothing her bangs into place, "How are you feeling?"_

 _Akihiko only nodded in response, admiring the breathtaking view he saw before him. Her ruby eyes gleamed in the sunlight, it's like her skin was glowing._

 _She furrowed her brow, delicate eyebrows knit in concern, "Senpai… What's your name?"_

 _Akihiko laughed and then cleared his throat, embarrassed and a little loopy. He averted his eyes, and ignored the heat rising on his cheeks under her watchful gaze. With a frown he said, "You don't know my name?" He still felt a little dizzy._

 _It was her turn to laugh this time, Akihiko couldn't help but stare some more—she was radiating. It was deliriously captivating. "I just want to make sure_ you _know your name." She clarified, removing the cloth from his forehead. Her lips curved into a smile. "So…?"_

 _"A-Akihiko… Sanada…" He managed. He was lightheaded._

 _She nodded, seemingly please. "I'm glad you're awake now, Senpai—"_

 _"Aki." He interrupted, his mind growing hazy. Her ruby eyes were wide as she stared back at him, lips parted slightly. "Call me, Aki… I want to hear you say it." He couldn't help but savor the image in front of him as color rose to her cheeks. "I want to hear what it sounds like in your voice."_

 _She stared back at him for a moment, blushing furiously. "A-A… Aki… Senpai." As the words left her mouth, she seemed to gather her resolve. She stood up abruptly and slammed her hands onto the edge of his bed, her eyes downcast, and fingers trembling. "Aki-Senpai!" She says it again, her mouth hanging open, fighting for her voice. "I…! I've wanted to tell you for a long time that I… I…!" Her cheeks were nearly as red as her eyes and Akihiko only stared at her in wonder as she struggled to find the right words. "Aki-Senpai… I've always… I've always…" Finally she sighed, and shook her head, giving him a sad smile. "Turns out I can't say it, after all…" She mumbled, "S-Senpai?!"_

 _In that moment, Akihiko's eyelids became too heavy to keep open any longer, his head swimming in a sea of white light, and his head sank slowly back into his pillow._

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:  
_** _Well there's chapter one. I had more than this written but I decided to save the smut for later. (Mostly because it's Akihiko/Mitsuru, and I don't know if I want to leave it in or take it out)…_

 _Well, anyway… review?_


	2. Guilt

**_Author's Note:  
_** _Alright, to hell with it, I'm keeping the smut.  
Aki is meeting FeMC in this chapter.  
Keep in mind that I'm trying to keep the characters imperfect. Sometimes they're going to do and think things that they probably shouldn't.  
(Also I apologize for being a comma whore… It's my favorite punctuation, I really can't help it)._

 ** _Disclaimer:  
_** _I don't own Persona or any of its characters._

* * *

 _Chapter Two: Guilt._

 **Early Morning — October 13 (SAT)**

Akihiko grimaced as he patted his face dry, closing the shower curtain behind him. With a sigh he wrapped his towel loosely around his waist. He glanced at the mirror and frowned at his reflection… Had he lost muscle mass…?

Just then there was a knock on his door and Aki caught himself dreading the thought of it being Mitsuru on the other side. He hadn't returned any of her calls or texts since yesterday morning and honestly he hadn't really been planning on it today either. It was hard to avoid your girlfriend when she lived on the floor right below you.

Akihiko shook his head and silently cursed himself for thinking it as he sluggishly approached his door and yanked it open. Mitsuru Kirijo stood before him, her crimson lips pulled into a smile, delicate curls cascading over her shoulders. "Akihiko!" She greeted him, dark eyes widening as they dropped down to his exposed skin.

"Ah, Mitsuru… I'm sorry about—" He looked down, realizing he was still dripping from the shower in only his towel. "Uh, do you want to come in while I change?"

Mitsuru hardly managed to pull her eyes from Akihiko's abdomen and nod as she stepped inside. As he closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but star at the droplets of water that fell from the ends of his silver hair and slid down his neck, over and in between the muscles of his back—Mitsuru quickly tore her eyes from his skin and cleared her throat, scowling at herself.

Akihiko disappeared into his room after telling his girlfriend to make herself comfortable in the small living area of his dorm.

"I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to get back to you yesterday… by the time I left the gym it was already pretty late." He called through the door, shuffling through his closet, looking for his white button down after pulling his boxer on.

"It's quite alright," She replied, "How did your match go yesterday?"

Akihiko scoffed and let out a bitter, self-depreciating laugh. "Didn't you see my face? I got my ass handed to me." He pulled his shirt over his shoulders and buttoned the cuffs.

"Oh please," Mitsuru's voice came from the other side of the door, closer than it had been just a second ago. "I was hardly looking at your face, Akihiko." Then the door clicked open and Aki turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised.

Mitsuru grinned and Aki couldn't help but stare and think about how much he loved the shape of her hips as they swayed back and forth as she walked toward him. She embraced him, snaking her arms around his neck and lifting her lips to his, placing a delicate kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I missed you, you know." She whispered pressing her breasts against his chest. She wasn't wearing a bra.

Akihiko's hands found their way to her hips and he pulled her closer, grinding himself against her abdomen. She wiggled her hips back and forth, teasing him. A mischievous giggle escaped her soft lips and Aki sighed, burying his face into her hair. "I have to be at work in less than an hour…" He managed to mumble before she slid her hand down his chest and plunged into his boxers, gripping him tightly with her long, slender fingers.

He groaned into her neck and nibbled on her exposed skin at the sensation.

He and Mitsuru had been dating for about four months; they'd spent plenty of time fooling around in that time but it had been a few weeks since the last time they'd been alone together. He didn't want to admit it was because he'd been trying his hardest to avoid her… although if she was this forceful every time they were together, maybe he'd have to rethink that decision. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone else touch him. When Mitsuru started stroking, he closed his eyes and bit down on her nape harder, taking a hand from her hip up to her breast, squeezing harder than he normally would have, rubbing his thumb over her erect nipple through the thin fabric of her shirt.

"Fuck, Mitsuru…" He growled as her pace increased and she started pumping his now fully erect member. Moist lips pressed against his neck and he swore he felt her smirk against his skin before she slowly removed herself from him. In one swift motion she pulled his boxers down his thighs and fell to her knees, giving the tip of his cock an experimental lick. His legs tensed and he instinctively thrust his hips forward just enough to make her gag.

Had it really already been weeks since the two of them had been even remotely intimate? Honestly Akihiko couldn't remember, not with her tongue trailing along his shaft. But he knew she was never spontaneous like this, she was too particular. She loved to plan ahead—the Mitsuru sucking on his cock was not the same Mitsuru he'd been dating these past few months.

It wasn't until she finally took it fully into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the tip as she forced him deeper down her throat that Akihiko threw his head back, not bothering to stifle his moan. "Fu-uck…" He rasped, tangling his fingers in her silky, red locks, gripping the back of her head and forcing her head down until Mitsuru's nose pressed against his lower abdomen.

Akihiko looked back down at her as she began bobbing her head up and down, eyes half closed and watering as his cock made contact with the back of her throat with each thrust of his hips.

Finally, with a gasp, Mitsuru let it loose from her lips with a pop and lifted her eyes as she started pumping him again, taking only the tip into her mouth as she twisted her hand around his cock at a furious pace, cupping his balls and massaging them with her free hand.

As Akihiko met her gaze, his mind flashed back to a distant memory… and Mitsuru's deep red hair faded to a light auburn, her eyes flashed bright as rubies and in that instant he came in her mouth and she swallowed it obediently, pale lips pressed into an innocent smile, _"A-Aki-Senpai…"_

Akihiko blinked a few times as his climax subsided and felt a pang of guilt as disappointment washed over him at the sight of Mitsuru before him instead of…

Instead of… _who_? Aki racked his brain, but he came up empty. He saw her face under his eyelids but she was nameless.

* * *

 **Morning – October 13 (SAT)**

By some miracle Akihiko managed to make it to work on time—ten minutes early, to be precise—and he couldn't help but thank his past self for picking a job within walking distance of campus. He'd only be working a few hours to help in training a new employee. When he arrived he saw Fuuka Yamagishi behind the counter, preparing to open the shop for the morning crowd.

"Sanada-kun," She greeted him with a smile and although her eyes seemed to scan the injuries on his face, she said nothing about them. "I didn't know you were working today."

He returned the friendliness even though all he wanted to run to the gym and vent all of his frustration and guilt through his fists—was there something wrong with him? Mitsuru hadn't done anything wrong, she was beautiful, she cared about him, and here he was fantasizing about some nameless girl he hadn't seen in nearly three years. _No._ He silently scowled at himself. _Some nameless girl?_ That hardly seemed like the proper way to describe her. "I wasn't supposed to," He explained, silencing his internal argument. "Shinji called me this morning and asked me to cover his shift for him."

Fuuka laughed gently and straightened her vest, "That sounds like Aragaki-kun, he must not have wanted to help with the new girl." She shook her head and glanced at the clock, "The manager said she's really cute. Apparently she's getting the run down in the break room right now before we open."

Akihiko nodded, hoping she would be quick to absorb the information. It's not like it was a hard job but the last time he'd found himself in charge of training a new employee, it was Shinji, and whether the job was difficult for him to grasp or he was just being a pain in the ass to irritate Akihiko, it had been a nightmare.

"Um…" Fuuka said somewhat shyly, "How are you and Mitsuru doing? I haven't seen her around as often as I used to."

Aki fought a frown and the guilt hit him again like a bullet train. _Idiot._ "She's been pretty busy dealing with the Kirijo Group. She pushing herself to graduate a semester early so that she can take over her father's position." He explained. "The board of executives has been running the company since her father's funeral, but she wants to take the mantle."

Fuuka nodded, "Mitsuru really is dedicated, isn't she? I'm so jealous of her motivation."

"Well I'd better go clock in before seven," He said awkwardly, heading for the break room. Fuuka gave him a small wave as he walked away and Akihiko cursed himself for being so transparent, anyone with a brain could probably tell that he was out of character. He needed to focus. He was at work, this wasn't the time or place to think about Mitsuru or her… morning greeting.

He walked down the hallway and the manager emerged from the break room, giving him her famous, blinding smile. "Ah, Akihito-kun! Shinjiro said you'd be covering his shift, I really appreciate it. The newbie is in there, clocking in." She crossed her arms and nodded like she was satisfied, "I can't believe how cute she is, she'll really be a hit with the customers… You should probably stand behind her with your face looking like that."

Akihiko laughed a little, "Ah… Well, I'll go introduce myself. Did you want her on the floor first or behind the counter with Fuuka?"

She pursed her round lips, "We'll keep her on the floor for the morning crowd and stick her behind the counter once the take-out rush is over. I'm counting on you, Akihiko-kun!" She clapped her hands together and called out to Fuuka in the lobby to unlock the doors and walked away, leaving Aki in the hallway alone.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his cropped, silver hair. _Alright!_ He thought, trying his best to clear his mind. _Time to get to work!_

With a newfound motivation, Akihiko turned around and pushed open the door to the breakroom. The new girl was standing there, dusting off her apron. She looked up in surprise as he entered and Akihiko stopped in his tracks at the sight in front of him, certain that he must be dreaming as round ruby red eyes stared back at him. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, he could only stare.

"Ah, um… G-good morning!" She said loudly, bowing slightly. "My name is Minako Arisato, it's very nice to meet you!"

Aki raised one eyebrow, _meet me_? "H-Haven't we already…"

She looked back at him quizzically, tilting her head to one side, her high pony-tail swaying with her.

Akihiko blinked, a wave of confusion washing over him. "I'm… Akihiko Sanada…" He said slowly, hoping to see recognition sweep across her pale face. It never came.

She still looked confused, but she smiled anyway, "I look forward to working with you, Sanada-san."

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:  
_** _As I write this, I feel like I have some sort of vendetta against Mitsuru, but I've always really liked her character… Ah, well.  
Review…?_


	3. La Douleur Exquise

**_Author's Note:  
_** _This chapter follows the FeMC rather than Akihiko; I feel like I can probably write more from a female perspective… we'll see what happens.  
Shinjiro makes an appearance._

 ** _Disclaimer:  
_** _I do not own Persona or any of its characters._

* * *

 _Chapter Three: La Douleur Exquise_

 **Afternoon – October 13 (SAT)**

Minako opened the door of the café after she clocked out and smiled over her shoulder, "Thank you for all your help today, Sanada-san, Fuuka-chan!"

The silver-haired man gave her a small wave and Fuuka smiled in her direction as she walked out the doors, and Minako had to stop herself from breaking into a sprint as soon as the door closed behind her.

 _Stupid, stupid! You're such an idiot!_ She yelled at herself. Her heart had been pounding since this morning, she'd been so surprised to see Akihiko-Senpai…

"And you pretended you didn't _know_ him." She said to herself in disbelief, making her way down the sidewalk. "But you knew Fuuka? Idiot! What were you thinking, how stupid can you get? Now he probably thinks that letter back then meant nothing—"

Minako shook her head, cheeks burning in embarrassment. The manager had said, _"Akihiko-kun will be training you today, please don't let him down!"_ But she hadn't thought for one moment that it was _that_ Akihiko. And then he had waltzed right in that room, the same boy she'd had a crush on in high school, but as a man. He'd definitely grown taller in the years that had passed since she'd seen him, his shoulders were much broader…

She sighed in defeat, absolutely in awe of herself. She'd have to apologize the next time she saw him… But what was she supposed to say? _"Hey Akihiko, I know we haven't seen each other in years, but I was so shocked to see my first love that I pretended I didn't even recognize you!"_

….

"Ugh… there's no way I can say that…!" She grumbled under her breath.

Minako continued to walk silently down the strip, only stopping when she reached the crosswalk to the University. She briefly wondered if Akihiko lived in the dorms or in an apartment off campus… She had been forced to find a small studio apartment about two miles from the school since she waited until the last day to enroll last April and there wasn't any space in the freshmen dormitories.

As she pressed down on the cold metal button and waited for the walk signal, Minako frowned. She was technically only a year behind in schooling but being the oldest one in her classes made her feel so left out. She didn't know anyone younger than her, and today had been the first day she'd even seen any of her old friends from Gekkoukan High.

Up until this moment, Minako hadn't regretted the year she'd taken off school to travel, it had been fun to see the world and learn about new cultures, and she had particularly enjoyed her time spent in the United Kingdom, the buildings and all the architecture in Europe was beautiful. She hadn't realized until she'd spent time with Fuuka and Akihiko today that she was so out of touch; she was _lonely_. And she hadn't felt that way in a very long time.

The light turned red and Minako made her way across the street, touching her cell phone in pocket… debating…

That's it! She'd call Yukari! Or… Or maybe Junpei… She'd always gotten along with him better…

She slumped her shoulders and took a right down the street to her apartment. She _wanted_ to call them, but it had been so long since she'd last talked to any of her old friends. What if they didn't want to talk to her? What if they got mad that she'd moved back to Iwatodai _months_ ago and hadn't contacted them? She had no excuse for it, she'd just been busy getting herself settled, starting classes, and working—practically nonstop. Monday through Friday after class she'd pick up Ken Amada from school and he'd stay at her apartment until his step-mother came to take him home on her way back from work. She usually didn't get there until late and Minako would almost always cook them dinner after they did their homework together. Ken was only 6 years her junior, 13 and in middle school, so he hardly needed a babysitter… but apparently Ken's relationship with his father had grown sour since he'd gotten remarried last year and Ken had hit some sort of rebellious streak where he needed to be under constant supervision. Minako thought it was a little strange and completely unnecessary, but she couldn't complain. Her and Ken got along quite well and his father paid her for the copious amount of time they spent together. But last month Ken joined his middle school track team and had no need of her except on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She had been forced to get another job, hence the café, where she'd work on the weekends.

Minako hooked her thumbs around her backpack straps as she walked, wondering if she'd see Akihiko again anytime soon. Maybe tomorrow…? Or next Friday? She should have looked at the schedule to see when he was working—

In that instant, the toe of Minako's left shoe caught on an uneven piece of side walk and she went fumbling to the ground, skinning the palms of her outstretched hands that broke her fall. "Ow…" She mumbled, pushing herself onto her knees. She lifted her palms to examine the damage and sighed as blood began slowly pooling out of the torn skin.

The click of footsteps prompted Minako to raise her head, and she was greeted by yet another familiar face, "S-Shinjiro-Senpai—ah," She laughed, embarrassed. It's not like they were in high school anymore. "Shinjiro-kun, fancy seeing you here."

Shinjiro Aragaki stared down at her in disbelief, eyes darting from her face back to her scrapped palms. He chuckled and shook his head, "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" He awkwardly bent down, grabbing her elbow to help her to her feet and made a dissatisfied clicking noise with his tongue as he looked down at her hands.

Minako had to strain her neck to look up at her old friend, he hadn't always been _this_ tall, had he? She didn't remember him towering over her like this… it was almost intimidating. "Thanks, Shinjiro-kun." She said with a smile.

Shinji rolled his eyes, "I didn't know you were such a klutz, Arisato." He said flatly, "Are you sure you should even be allowed to walk around by yourself?" There was a slight smirk on his face and Minako smiled wider, she had forgotten how much she missed her friends… even if it was her smartass, foul mouthed senpai.

She looked back down at her hands, they had started stinging. "Do you think… you could help me with something?"

* * *

 **Evening – October 13 (SAT)**

Minako looked back down at her aching palms, which were now carefully wrapped in gauze, then back at Shinjiro, who seemed to have made himself at home, familiarizing himself with her small kitchen. His jacket and beanie were placed neatly on the back of the sofa she was sitting on, and Minako thought that she smelled cologne. Slowly leaning toward the garment, she sniffed a few times and nodded to herself. He was wearing cologne? That seemed strange for some reason. But it smelled nice all the same.

When she'd asked Shinjiro to help her into her apartment, she'd only meant for him to help her retrieve her keys from her backpack and open her door… But he'd simply scoffed and let himself in. _"You're going to clean and dress your hands on your own?"_ He'd asked her in disbelief right before asking her to tell him where she kept her first aid kit.

He'd been more delicate with her than she'd expected… he'd only told her to shut up twice while he tweezed gravel from her torn skin, and he'd only called her a moron once while gently securing the bandaging. His words were harsh but his touch was light, like he was afraid he might hurt her.

"Shinjiro-kun… you really don't have to—"

His dark eyes met hers and he scoffed, "Shut up, would you? Are you telling me you're planning on cooking yourself dinner like that?" He motioned to her hands with the frying pan he was now holding in his and shook his head, returning to his work.

Minako smiled slightly, it's not like she should argue. Shinjiro had always been a good chef, too. It felt like he was spoiling her.

She stood up from the sofa and slowly approached the kitchen, watching Shinjiro as he began mixing the ingredients together in a bowl. His hair was shorter than it used to be but it still shagged against the back of his neck, and his bangs still fell into his eyes. He stood up straighter, the bags under his eyes weren't quite as dark as they had been once. Minako smiled as she studied him, nostalgia flooded her veins; happiness bubbled up inside her, she thought she might overflow.

Shinjiro looked over at her and Minako thought she might have seen a bit of color rise on his cheeks.

"S-sorry," She said with an awkward laugh. "It's just that I'm really… I'm really happy." She felt a little embarrassed but Shinji smiled back at her and chuckled as he continued to work over the stove. "Oh! Are you making pork tonkatsu?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Minako clapped her bandaged hands together and regretted it immediately, wincing. "How'd you know?" She laughed.

"Know what?"

"That's my favorite."

"I-is it? I didn't know." He replied in a tone that made Minako stare at him a moment longer.

 _Yes he did._ She thought, making her way to the table that Shinji had already set.

Minako gratefully ate the entire meal Shinji had prepared for her and the two of them made small talk over a pot of green tea afterward. "I saw Fuuka-chan and, ah—Akihiko-kun today at the café." She started, "It's just outside the gates to the University, not too far from here."

Shinji shifted so he was sitting cross legged across from Minako and shook his head, "I had no idea _you_ were the one I was supposed to train today. I might have actually gone to work."

"Sheesh, do all of you work there?" Minako asked, sipping her tea.

Shinjiro chuckled and shook his head. "Last year Takeba and Mitsuru were the only ones who worked there, I think. They recommended Fuuka and Aki to take their places, and I only started there a couple months ago."

Minako sighed and pursed her lips, _I wonder if it was fate that I got that job, then…_ "I haven't really spoken to anyone else since I've been back." She explained. "How is Mitsuru? And Yukari… I wonder if they're going to hate me… it's been so long…"

"They're not _that_ caddy, Arisato." Shinji said, running his long, slender fingers through his hair. "Not Mitsuru, anyway. I guess I don't really know Takeba all that well. I think Aki told me that she's graduating early, Mitsuru, I mean. Damn, I can't believe they've been _dating_ for months now. Never really thought Aki would get a girlfriend, he was always so oblivious—"

Shinji stopped mid-sentence and furrowed his brow. Minako could feel the blood draining from her face, she felt how wide her eyes were set, she felt the stinging in the corners of her eyes. _"…dating for months now—"_ He'd said. Mitsuru and Akihiko-senpai… were dating. _Months._ The reality was hard to come to terms with somehow. It's not like Minako had expected her first love not to fall in love with someone else. It's not like she thought he'd never date anyone… but the fact that it was Mitsuru, out of everyone in all of Japan… It was _Mitsuru Kirijo_.

 _Who could I possibly compete with that?!_

"Arisato…?" Shinji snapped Minako out of her thoughts and her face flushed immediately.

"Ah… I-I, uh…" She stammered and shook her head with a sigh, "Sorry."

Shinji raised an eyebrow but didn't push it and stood up, "I'll clean up and then I'll have to head out. It's getting late."

"I can clean…" Minako objected, "You've done enough for me today, Shinjiro-kun, I can't ask any more of you." She stood up as well, blinking a few times, hoping she could get her old friend out the door before the tears came. _Mitsuru… and Akihiko-senpai…_

Shinjiro took a few steps toward her, "Sure you can," his hands rested on her shoulders, "You can ask me for anything." His voice was low, it sent shivers down Minako's back and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She lifted her eyes to meet his, surprised at the closeness. His dark eyes stared back at her through messy hair, foreheads almost touching.

"Shinji—"

In one smooth motion, Shinji closed the gap between the two of them. His hand moved from her shoulder and he traced her jaw bone with his fingers, resting under her chin, tilting it up to graze her lips against his own.

Minako held her breath as their lips met. It wasn't a kiss, not really, but she was on fire nonetheless. She could smell the cologne he was wearing, it smelled like sandalwood, musty and unfamiliarly alluring. For just a moment, her mind went blank and two words emerged from the fog, _why not?_ A part of her desperately wanted to fall into him, to kiss him for real, snake her arms around his neck, pull him closer, closer, closer…

In the same instant, Shinjiro moved away, "If you don't resist, it's a lot harder to hold back." There was a mischievous grin tugging at his lips and she swore her heart had never beat faster.

Before Minako could respond Shinji had his belongings in his hands and her front door was open. He was out the door and down a flight of stairs before Minako realized she was still holding her breath.

As she reached out to close the door, a pang of guilt settled in her gut. She was in love with Akihiko, wasn't she? She had been for a long time. Not once in all these years had her thoughts wandered over to anyone else, especially not Shinjiro. So what _was_ that? And since when had Shinji ever felt like that? Or maybe he was trying to comfort her… Or maybe he'd really wanted to kiss her?

Minako gasped suddenly and raised her fingers to her lips. They were still tingling. She thought she could still feel the heat of his breath against her skin… "My first… kiss?" She murmured to herself, contemplating the legitimacy of it. They had barely made contact but somehow it still felt significant and she wondered if she should be angry with him. He'd stolen it from her, after all. Rather suddenly too.

Maybe it was because Akihiko was her first love, or maybe it was because he was the only person Minako had ever had romantic feelings for, but she'd always thought _he_ would be her first kiss. She'd let the thought slip from her mind after all this time, though. Right before Akihiko had graduated, she'd left a sealed letter in his shoe locker, confessing to him. She'd poured her heart into it, expecting… _something_ in return. But he never responded to it, whatever the reason may have been. He hadn't rejected her or returned her affection. She had been too embarrassed to hunt him down in search of an answer.

It didn't matter though.

If she'd thought he had been out of reach before, he was completely unattainable now.

Minako leaned against the door to her small bedroom and stared quietly into the nothing. There was a twisting, squeezing pain deep in her chest, her longing was deeper than it had ever been, deeper than she thought possible. She shook her head and blinked away the salty reality—

–he was never hers to have.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:  
_** _Ugh, I feel like I have such limited periods of creativity.  
Like, I get ideas for stories—fan fiction or original shit—and I line them out, I'm super excited, it's all I think about…  
but if I waste one day _not _writing, all of the motivation just diiiiiieeess.  
And then I end up with chapters like this one.  
Haaahh, review anyway?_


	4. Stay Away

**_Author's Note:  
_** _Uhh, I'm going to just ignore the fact that I haven't updated this in months. Shhh._

 ** _Disclaimer:  
_** _I do not own Persona or any of its characters._

* * *

 _Chapter Four: Stay Away._

 **Evening — October 14 (SUN)**

Minako yawned and looked at the clock as she poured her coffee into her travel mug, it was just after sunset and her night class started in a little over an hour. Glancing out the window into the darkening sky, her mind flashed back to the previous night when Shinji had kissed her and then—practically— run away. She pulled her backpack onto her shoulders and found herself running her finger tips over her bottom lip. There had been a part of her somewhere deep down that had _desperately_ wanted to explore him—her cheeks burned at the thought as it crossed her mind—but on the other end of the spectrum, she was furious at him. He'd taken something from her that she wasn't sure he deserved.

 _You're being stupid,_ she scowled at herself and grabbed her cup before heading out the door, _that wasn't even a kiss._

 _"If you don't resist, it's a lot harder to hold back."_ His raspy voice echoed in her ears and Minako shook her head, wide-eyed. _You need to focus, it's time for class._ She picked up the pace and realized once she crossed through the archway to the campus that she'd been jogging.

Minako shuffled to a stop and pulled out her phone, frowning when she saw she'd made it there in record time with just under an hour to kill before her class even started. She seated herself inside a lighted gazebo and pulled her notes from her bag.

"I didn't know you had class on Sundays," A voice said from behind, making her jump up from her seat and onto her feet with her notes clutched tightly to her chest.

Minako's breath caught in her throat when she saw Akihiko standing there, silver hair matted to his forehead. A large grey sweatshirt stretched across his broad torso and matching sweatpants hung loosely around his waist, he was glistening in the fluorescent lights, and Minako struggled to find her voice as he stared down at her with cloudy grey eyes. "A-Aki-senpai!" She finally gasped, cursing herself as his eyes widened. She took a step back, bowed, and half-yelled, "I'm sorry, Akihiko-kun! I pretended not to remember you at the café! I-I was just so surprised to see you that I…" She raised her head just enough to peek up at his face through her bangs, he looked stunned but a grin was tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Please forgive me!" she managed to say as his grin settled into his face, sending butterflies afloat in her stomach.

He laughed and crossed his arms, for a moment he only looked at her and silence hung in the air.

Minako shifted and hoped he wouldn't notice the blush rising on her cheeks.

"What did you call me?" He finally said, eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Oh… um…"

He took two steps toward her and there was less than an arm's length between them, "I want to hear you say it."

Minako stared back at her first love, lips parted in uncertain excitement, as the memory of the infirmary came back to her. In that moment, she saw nothing but him, and she was almost certain he felt the same way. Just one step was all it would take… she could fill the gap and…

"I want to hear what it sounds like in your voice," His voice was barely a whisper, maybe it was just her imagination but it felt like he was staring at her lips.

Confidence flooded her and she let a smile lift the left corner of her mouth as she spoke, "Aki-senpai…" Her voice wasn't entirely her own and as she moved to take the final step a familiar voice called out in the darkness and Minako blinked the daze away, stepping away from Akihiko so quickly she thought she might fall backward.

"Akihiko!"

The voice belonged to Mitsuru Kirijo.

Minako watched as she walked gracefully toward the two of them. Her heart sank as she looked over her former senpai. She was just a few inches shorter than Akihiko with her tall burgundy heels, and Minako couldn't help the flare of jealousy that erupted as Mitsuru finally stood in front of her and placed a delicate kiss on Akihiko's cheek. Her dark curls fell delicately down her shoulders in what Minako could only describe as perfection.

 _Right…_ She thought suddenly. _I'd almost forgotten._

"Arisato-san, is that you?" A bright smile appeared on Mitsuru's face, "When did you come back to Iwatodai?"

Guilt surged through Minako as her old senpai pulled her into a tight hug. _You're terrible._ She told herself. _What were you about to do? He has a girlfriend, stop being so stupid...!_ She laughed awkwardly, "Um, a few months ago, actually." She managed to say, glancing sideways at Akihiko. His grin was gone.

"I'm surprised Yukari didn't tell me," Mitsuru said, pursing her lips.

"Ah… I haven't actually contacted anyone since I've been back. I've just been really busy with the move and starting school." Saying in aloud made Minako realize it was just a terrible excuse, especially since Fuuka had informed her that Mitsuru was graduating early to take over her father's company. Her own life seemed little and gut-wrenchingly insignificant next to hers.

Mitsuru nodded like she understood nonetheless, but her attention had shifted to Akihiko, "Were you just finishing up your run?"

Akihiko took a gulp from his water bottle before answering, "Halfway done." He said shortly, "I just stopped to say hello when I saw her sitting here." He nodded toward Minako but she avoided his eyes.

"Ah," Mitsuru said curtly, "It looks as though you interrupted her studying."

Minako clutched her notebook tighter to her chest. The atmosphere felt heavy and the lack of wind only seemed to make Minako feel even more uncomfortable.

"It wouldn't kill you to stop and say hello to me, would it?" Mitsuru's words were sharp but her smile was still bright; Akihiko didn't seem to notice, though. Or maybe he just didn't care. "Walk back to the dorms with me," She urged him, "I need to talk to you." She sent a soft smile in Minako's direction, "And I don't think we need to bother Arisato-san any longer."

Akihiko ran his fingers through his damp hair and looked at his watch, "Ah, I've got class soon, so I need to jog back. Maybe tomorrow."

Minako swore she could reach out and feel the tension building between them and her heart was still pounding in her ears, "Ah… I should probably get to class." She cut in awkwardly, shoving her notes back into her bag and grabbing her coffee. "It was… great to see you again, Mitsuru." She forced out, stealing a final glance at Akihiko. He was staring back at her, an unreadable expression in his grey eyes.

Walking briskly away from the couple, Minako let out a heavy sigh and tried not to look back.

* * *

Akihiko didn't want to stop running. His legs ached with each step as his feet pounded against the pavement, he could feel the sweat soaking through his clothes and running down his brow, but still he willed himself to go faster.

 _One, two, three, inhale… One, two, three, exhale…_

His lungs were on fire, he felt like he was gasping with each breath.

 _One, two, three…_ Minako's face seemed to be burned into the undersides of his eyelids. Each blink, every breath, there she was. _Inhale…_

 _One, two, three…_ Her voice rang through his ears like a song he wanted to hear over and over again, in a million different ways, every hour of each day until… _Exhale…_

Heart pounding, blood surging, Akihiko stopped. He could see her not too far away, likely headed home from her evening classes—that he'd missed, he realized suddenly—auburn hair swaying gently back and forth with every step she took.

 _She was going to kiss me._ His brain announced as he looked after her. _I was going to kiss her back._ He shook his head as the fantasy threatened to take over— _lips on his, softly at first until he grabbed hold of her hips and pulled her against him, she'd open her mouth first, and he'd take her all in greedily_ —

He exhaled sharply and wondered if he'd ever catch his breath. The warning was clear; it flashed brightly in his mind, sirens blared in the background: _Stay Away from Minako Arisato._ But he didn't want to. It felt like he was being pulled after her, and soon he realized he was jogging again, this time toward Minako as she left campus.

He opened his mouth to call out to her but hesitated.

 _Mitsuru._

Guilt wrapped him up like a blanket and he stopped. He should head back to the dorms and talk to her; she was obviously upset with him. He knew it was only a matter of time before she caught on to the fact that he was ignoring her, but a part of him resented it. _It's her fault, anyway._ He thought suddenly, knowing full well it wasn't true.

He looked back at Minako getting ready to cross the street, rocking back and forth on her heels, and started after her again.

 _Stay away._ He warned himself.

But he pushed the thought away, "Minako!"

She spun around quickly, ruby eyes wide with surprise. The street lights illuminated the copper in her hair while the evening breeze gently lifted her bangs from her face and Akihiko couldn't help the huge grin that settled into his cheeks as he approached her. A faint smile lifted her pale pink lips and a knot tied itself in his stomach.

 _Stay away._ The warning echoed

"Let me walk you home," He said, motioning for them to cross the street as the walk signal began to flash, "It's late."

Her smile faded for a moment and she shook her head, "It's alright, I don't live very far." Minako forced the smile back, but it wasn't the same. "Besides," She murmured, looking ahead, "You really ought to talk to Mitsuru—ah, I know it's not my business." She laughed nervously and continued, "But whatever the problem is… it can't be fixed by ignoring it."

Akihiko nodded but continued walking by her side nevertheless, unsure of what to say. He tried to keep his eyes forward but struggled when she began to speak again.

"You're still boxing, right?" She said with a giggle, pointing her thumb at his face. "Those bruises are worse than they were yesterday."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and let out a quiet laugh, "I'm not as good as I was in high school, I get my ass kicked now."

She shrugged, "But you love doing it, right?"

Akihiko blinked, "Huh?"

"Boxing," She clarified. "If you love doing it, it doesn't matter if you win every match and break school records—"she glanced sideways at him and smiled, "—or if you lose over and over and your face looks like that after every match. As long as you love it… it doesn't matter." Minako stopped and motioned to the building behind her. "Thanks for walking me home, Akihiko-kun."

He stared at her for a long moment, _should have stayed away…_ "Minako—"

"Oh," Minako turned from him and waved at a figure approaching the two of them, "Shinjiro-kun, thanks for all your help… yesterday…" She trailed off and Akihiko couldn't help but notice the blush that crept onto her face as she lifted her hands to her lips.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between the two of them before feeling a ridiculously unwarranted pang of jealousy. The curiosity only spiked when he heard Shinji chuckle quietly when he looked back at her and scratched the back of his head. _He does that when he's embarrassed._ Akihiko realized.

The jealousy hit him again, but it was a tidal wave this time that threatened to drag him deep down into the depths until he drowned in it.

"It was no big deal," Shinji said, grinning. "Not the first aid and the dinner, anyway—"

Minako cut him off with a loud, nervous laugh, "It was really great—the uh, the tonkatsu! I… really appreciated it." She hooked her thumbs on her backpack straps and rocked back and forth on her heels awkwardly, "Anyway…" She looked up at Akihiko sheepishly, "Thanks again for walking me home." She pulled on her straps and puffed out her cheeks, "I've got a lot of homework so… I'll see you both soon."

Akihiko gave her a small wave and watched her as she disappeared into her building before turning to face his friend, "That was something." Was all he said.

They began walking before Shinji replied with a chuckle, "She sure is."

Akihiko frowned and gave him a sideways look, "Did… something happen? With Minako?" He didn't want to sound like he really wanted to know but… he _really_ wanted to know.

Shinji shrugged and shoved his hands deeper into his coat as the wind picked up, "Eh, not yet. I'd like to think the waters are warm though, man. I never thought I'd see her again, it feels like it's meant to—" he looked at Akihiko and cleared his throat, as if embarrassed. "Well, she definitely would have kissed me back, anyway."

"Huh," Akihiko tried to sound indifferent. He knew that any person—any _good_ person in this situation should root for him, cheer him on. He was Shinji's friend, it was his responsibility to try and guide him toward happiness in any way he could… but instead, the only thing that settled in his mind was, _I doubt it, she was going to kiss_ me _._ There was an ugly pit in Akihiko's stomach swelling up at the idea of a new found, completely unprecedented, rivalry. "Just don't get her hopes up and hurt her or something."

Shinjiro turned to take his route home and put his back to Akihiko, "Don't worry," He said over her shoulder. " _I_ won't."

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:  
_** _Bear with Aki, please. (And my writing as I try and get back into the swing of things).  
Writing can be fun and all, but this took me days to finish and maybe five minutes to read. Meh._


End file.
